DREAM CHASERS

Opening Address 15 May 2025 Katong TMC 20th Anniversary Celebration Chapter Meeting

Dreams are the spark that ignites the fire of possibility within us. They remind us that life is full of potential but our self-limiting beliefs often stop us from pursuing our dreams. When we dream, we open ourselves to new ideas, new perspectives, and new opportunities.

This month I fulfilled my dream of cycling round the island of Taiwan. It was an epic adventure of 900km over 9 days enjoying Taiwan's natural beauty and magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean as we rode along the coast. There were 38 riders, mostly in their 50s and 60s. We call ourselves the dream chasers because it was the dream of our team leader Voon to take on such a challenge 12 years ago but he never had the chance until now. 

As for me, my girlfriends had invited me to join them on a similar trip in 2023 but I was unable to. I lived the amazing adventure vicariously through their Facebook updates and had been yearning to go on this adventure ever since. When the opportunity availed itself last year, I jumped at the chance. 

One of the riders Cheng sustained a fall and fractured his hip in December last year. As a result, he had to withdraw from the trip. After surgery and 3 months of rehab, he managed to recover well enough and with the approval of the surgeon and the support of his wife, he returned to the group in April and completed the cycling trip with his wife. Though he walks with a limp, once he's on the saddle, he's as fast as the wind and as steady as any of the other able riders. What an inspiration! 

I have found 3Ps to be essential in the pursuit of my dreams: passion, perseverance and people! Passion is that strong feeling of excitement and enthusiasm that will fuel our motivation to move forward and take action. 

Perseverance is the determination to never give up and to overcome the setbacks, obstacles and challenges that we face.

People who share our interests and passion is what we need to create a community of dreamers. When we connect with the right people, things happen! 

There are dream chasers all around us! Are you one of them? Ida is. In August last year, she took up ballroom dancing. With her dedicated practice and the encouragement of her coach, she took part in several competitions and started winning medal after medal! Can you visualize our elegant Ida gliding gracefully on the dance floor in glitz and glamour? She is a novice but was placed first runner-up in the recent Asian Dance Tour in Taiwan among many professional dancers. What an inspiration! ✨ 

As for Katong Toastmasters Club, our strength has ebbed and flowed through the years but we've always come through as a team. 20 years is a huge milestone for us. I am grateful for the community of learners who have here, not just in Katong TMC but also from all other clubs. Tonight we're so privileged to have Richard, Penny, Linda and William and all our guests join us to add verve and vitality to our club's 20th Anniversary Celebration. It is my hope and desire for Katong TMC to grow from strength to strength as we embark on our 21st year! 

No matter how big or small our dreams may seem, let's hold on to them.  Because when we chase our dreams, we not only transform our own lives but also inspire others to do the same. Let's be daring and dauntless dream chasers together! 

"If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney 

LESSONS FROM GEESE

OPENING ADDRESS 15 APRIL 2010

Lessons From Geese

Why do geese fly in a V? Because it would be too hard to fly in an S! Just kidding. Scientists have determined that the V-shaped formation that geese use when migrating serves two important purposes:

First, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

Not only that, the birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest.

The second benefit to the V formation is that it is easy to keep track of every bird in the group. Flying in formation may assist with the communication and coordination within the group. Fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.

What are some lessons we can learn from the geese?

Lesson 1:
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.  Just as in Toastmasters, we are able to accelerate our learning in public speaking because of our shared goals of becoming better speakers and leaders.

Lesson 2:
By staying in formation with those who share our goals, we are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.  Don't suffer in silence. If you need help, ask for it or others will think you are doing fine.  And don't quit when the going gets tough! Get help and then get going.  That's what teamwork is all about.

Lesson 3:
It makes sense to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

Like the leading goose, my wings are getting tired from flapping. It's time for me to move to the back and let someone else lead the team.  I am happy to announce that Nik has agreed to take on the role of Club President for the new term.  Let's give him our utmost support.

As a club, let's fly together in V formation so we can cover great distances and reach greater heights. Let's be the wind beneath each other's wings and help Katong grow from strength to strength.
I end with this quote:

No problem is insurmountable.
With a little courage, teamwork and determination
a person can overcome anything.
~B. Dodge

Opening Address Feb 2010

ALWAYS GROW GOOD CORN

I once read this story shared by DTM Aziz Mustajab.

"A Nebraska farmer grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and discovered to his great surprise that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbours.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why, sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbours grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of the corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn."

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbour's corn also improves.

So it is in Toastmasters. Those who choose to be successful must help their fellow Toastmasters to succeed. Those who choose to grow and develop must help others to grow and develop. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all."

May we always help each other grow, develop and succeed in our quest for self-actualization. Here's wishing all of you a roaring year of the Tiger.

Believe You Can!

Opening Address at Katong TMC on 21 January 2010

Believe You Can


Good evening, fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the year 2010. Do you know this is the year that great things CAN happen in your life? How many of you believe that?

In December last year, I went to Guangzhou for my TCM practical. Our club member Zhang Bin happened to be Guangzhou at that time so we met up. Having done some internet research before going there, I told him I would like to visit Baiyun Mountain since I was yearning for the great outdoors. 'Sure, no problem.' he said. 'A walk in the mountain should take us about 3 hours. Let's meet at 9am.'

On Sunday morning, two of my classmates and I met up with Zhang Bin and his girlfriend and the 5 of us set off happily to conquer the mountain. The air was cool and crisp and we started perspiring after climbing up the interminable steps leading into the gardens. 3 hours later, it was 12 noon, time for lunch but we had only climbed up, we hadn't even started coming down yet. Zhang Bin kept saying, 'We're almost there.' At first we believed him. Then we realised in China, when you say 'we're almost there' it could mean anything from 10 minutes to 2 hours. In fact, we were still 2 km away from the exit!

My legs were trembling with fatigue, my muscles were shouting out in pain. I wanted to surrender and say, "No more, please no more!" I had obviously underestimated the grandeur of the mountain and overestimated my own athletic ability. I persuaded my friends to take the tram down but Zhang Bin said no adamantly. 'That would be tantamount to cheating,' he opined.

So with constant encouragement from my friends, and with the 'can-do' attitude, I persisted and finally 5 hours after we have started off, we arrived at the southern exit. It was only then that I saw the map of the mountain and realised its vastness: Baiyun Mountain, made up of 30-odd peaks, measures 7 km from south to north, and 4 km from east to west. The highest peak, Moxing Ridge (Star-scrapping Ridge) stands in the center of Baiyun Mountain, measuring 382 meters in height. And we had not even conquered it!

As a driver in Singapore, I always park as near to my destination as possible. If I had to walk for 10 minutes, I would complain. But in Guangzhou, I walked for 5 hours! That would have seemed like an impossible feat but I did it! It is indeed an achievement! And frankly I would not have been able to do it without my friends by my side encouraging me.

In the same way, in Toastmasters, we can achieve great things, impossible feats because of our dreams, our perseverance and our fellow toastmasters' unstinting support. If not for your support, I would have failed, I would have faltered. There are so many times, as club President, I felt discouraged and disheartened. But because you were there for me, I never gave up. I never gave up myself, I never gave up on you, and I never gave up on the club.

I urge all of you to be that pillar of support and strength to each other in times of need. When the VPE or club President needs you to present a project speech, or be an  appointment holder, or organise a contest, or whatever it may be, accept the invitation graciously. Your support means the world to your fellow toastmaster.  It is also an opportunity for you to learn and to grow.

Fellow toastmasters, are you here to become better speakers? Are you here to become better leaders?  How about champion speakers? Hold on to your dream! Believe you can. Believe in yourself. Get support from your fellow toastmasters and make that dream happen this year!

Make Things Happen!

Opening Address June 2009

Good evening, fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to begin by asking you a question. If your answer is no, don’t say it out loud. But if your answer is ‘yes’, please say it out loud.

This is my question: “Do I look pretty tonight?” Thank you. Now I can go back and tell my Immediate Past President Justin that I have accomplished my objective because he told me that as a club President, all I have to do is to sit and look pretty.

But seriously, appearances aside, the more important thing for the President to do is to set a vision for the club and motivate the team to get the job done.

It has been said that some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and some simply wonder, ‘What happened?’

Fellow club members, don’t be wonderers, don’t be watchers, be makers of happenings!

If you want to be an accomplished speaker, make that happen by preparing for each and every speaking assignment diligently.

If you want to be a contest champion, make that happen by taking part in contests and getting a mentor to guide you.

If we want Katong Toastmasters Club to be a distinguished club, let’s work together as a team to make that happen! I believe we can.

When I read about the World Champion of Public Speaking 2008, I was very excited and inspired because it was a woman! Do you have any idea how many woman has ever won this title? Since this contest began in 1938, only four women have ever won this title!

And LaShunda Rundles from Dallas, Texas is the first African-American woman ever to win this prestigious competition. Her contest speech, “Speak” encouraged people to use their voices to change the world. As a lupus survivor, she plans to become the national spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America.

In her own words, she said

“People who do not understand lupus do not have an idea of what I deal with each day. There are thousands of people living in pain daily.

I want to raise money, awareness, and understanding. I don’t want people to live with the shame that I did for many years wanting to hide it. My skin is not flawless, my scars are many, but my resolve is unbreakable. I want to bring hope to the lives of those that know what it is really like to have a “good” day. As the awareness grows the quality of life for many people will mean many more “good” days and better yet restful nights. In a world of limited resources we have to fight for our piece of the pie.

I lost a friend of mine who was 28 and died blind and in a wheelchair with lupus. If I can help prevent things like that through my voice, it would be a blessing and an honor.”

Wow, what an inspiration! To think that we can change our world through our voices. We can speak up for what’s right and what’s true. Whatever your goals in life, whatever your dreams, whatever your aspirations, make them happen.

May Toastmasters be the place and platform where you start to make things happen by honing your listening, thinking and speaking skills. I thank the outgoing EXCO for their dedication, commitment and contributions to the club and I congratulate the incoming EXCO for their courage to take up the challenge of running this club. Together, we will make things happen for Katong Toastmasters Club and bring it to the next level.

The basement brainstorm

Opening Address July 2009

When people hear the word “basement” they’re more likely to picture mould and spiders than the birth place of a global communication and leadership training organization. But a basement is exactly where the first toastmasters meeting was held.

Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, worked as director of education for a Young Men’s Christian Association or YMCA after he graduated from college. He observed that many of the young men needed “training in the art of public speaking and in presiding over meetings”. So what did he do? Did he merely wish for them to become better? No, he made things happen. How?

First, he decided on a training format. He chose a format similar to a social club to attract people to join.

Second, he named his group “The Toastmasters Club” to suggest a pleasant, social atmosphere appealing to young men. During the early 1900s the word “toastmaster” referred to a person who proposed the toasts and introduced the speakers at a banquet.

Third, he got together a group of young men from YMCA in Santa Ana, California in 1924 and they met in a basement for their first meeting to practice speaking in a supportive, informal atmosphere.

The seedling club blossomed. Word spread about Smedley’s YMCA experiment and soon people in other communities and even other states began asking for permission and help to start their own Toastmasters meetings. Today, thanks to Ralph Smedley’s “basement brainstorm”, there are more than 12,000 Toastmasters clubs and more than 250,000 members in 106 countries. Thanks to Ralph Smedley, we are gathered here tonight to enjoy the benefits of Toastmasters.

Fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, is there something in your workplace or at home that needs improvement? Then don’t just wish for things to be better. Make things better.

For myself, I wanted to improve our club’s presence in cyberspace so I’ve updated our website and started a facebook account for our club. Your support and feedback will be greatly appreciated. Please look for Joni Siah in Facebook and add me as a friend. Then I will link you to our club page. This is where we can share photos and event information and hold animated discussions over issues pertaining to our club. Make your presence felt. Join me in FACEBOOK.

In conclusion,
Don’t watch things happen,
Don’t wonder what happen,
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!

Opening Address November 2009

When I joined Toastmasters, it took me many years to pluck up the courage to take part in a humorous speech contest. I had limiting beliefs that I was not funny and I could not possibly make anyone laugh.  Better not embarrass myself. 

But recently at our club's humorous speech contest, two of our newer members took part in the contest although they had less than one year's experience in Toastmasters. Either they were very gullible to believe the VPE when he said it was compulsory for all members to take part in the contest, or they had the courage to TRY.  I believe it was the latter. 

During the contest, I happened to be seated next to a judge.  One of the new members was the first contestant.  When he opened his mouth to speak,  the judge tactlessly commented to me, "Wah, like that also can take part in contest!"  I was peeved but that was not a good time to give him a piece of my mind.  If not for my self-control and self-restraint, the judge might have ended up on the floor with a bleeding nose.  Thankfully I am a civilised person. 

I did not get a chance to tell the judge what I thought that day, but this is what I would have said, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"

The wonderful thing about Toastmasters is that it provides us with the opportunities to try out many different speaking roles, be it as a speaker, evaluator or TME and so on.  If you were given the opportunity to be a project evaluator, a language evaluator or a contestant, what would your response be? Would you say YES enthusiastically? Or like most people, reject the offer with reasons like 'I'm not experienced enough', 'I don't know how to be an evaluator' etc.

True, for certain roles such as TME or project evaluator, some experience is required.  But most of the time, it is our limiting beliefs that stops us from trying.  If you feel you are inadequate to take on a role,  do realise that there are many things you can do about it.  You can attend workshops that teach you skills you need (such as LE workshops), you can observe more experienced toastmasters, you can read up on resources on the internet or get your mentor to share his/her experiences with you. 

So the next time opportunity comes knocking on your door, what will your response be? When your beloved club President or VPE calls you and says, 'Nik, would you like to be the LE for our next chapter meeting?' or 'Tarwin, would you like to take part in the Table Topics Contest?', or 'Ben, would you like to serve in the EXCO next term?',  don't say NO. Instead, embrace the opportunity and take actions to empower yourself to take on the role.  And remember, "TO TRY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE GOOD; BUT TO BE GOOD, YOU MUST TRY!"